ALO and Ryan Montbleau Band Channel Prince at Highline Ballroom

When I found out that ALO were playing a show in New York the day before my birthday, I was stoked.  When I found out it was a double-bill with another artist on my iPod, Ryan Montbleau Band, I was even more pumped.  Then I found out it was at Highline Ballroom.  I'd been to two shows at Highline before, and it's one of my least favorite venues in the city.  The sound has always been awful, the aqua lights on the walls are too bright in your peripherals, and there are fucking candlelit booths scattered around the dancefloor.  It's time we call a spade a spade and recognize Highline for what it truly is: just another nightclub in the Meatpacking District.  Thankfully both of these bands have enough character that they were able to fill a room that doesn't have any.  And I'll be damned... the sound mix was good too, albeit a tad sterile.

As soon as I got out of work, I ran to the venue to make it to the meet-and-greet for members of ALO's fan service, the Hot Tub Club.  I gave Dave my input on his upcoming installment (How great would it be to hear a "Lies of the World" demo?), and chatted with Steve about the New York comedy scene.  Posing for a group shot, talk turned to photography.  "You're Blind Tony?  I love Blind Tony!  We use Blind Tony as an example of why Instagram is okay," said Zach.  It felt pretty cool to have my character Instagram (I take photos as if I were blind.) validated by my favorite band.  With all this going on, it was difficult to pay attention to the opening act, American Babies, but I heard some nice melodic jamming.  I also find it funny that you can't tell people you're into them without sounding somewhat racist: "I like American Babies."

A little before 9pm, ALO took the stage.  "How you guys doing?  You wanna have some good times?" tempted Zach before plunging into the opening chords of "Maria."  Dan Lebowitz ignited a fiery guitar solo, burning down the house on the very first song.  Ryan Montbleau's percussionist, Yahuba Garcia-Torres, sat in for a solid "Falling Dominoes."  "He'll be coming and going like a percussion ghost," informed Gill.  "Blew Out the Walls" had everyone gyrating until an extraterrestrial jam towards its end made us stand still in awe as eerie green lights danced around the stage.  Dan forgot to bring his steel to the stage, so Zach made small talk with the audience.  "It's always magical when I come to New York City.  Get one of those salads at that Pret place you have.  You've seen it all, New York.  What do you do when you've seen it all?"  "Go to California!" shouted someone.  "When you've seen it all, you have to pretend like you haven't seen it all."  I had to pretend when they started "Isla Vista Song," which I've seen them play at every ALO show I've been to but Farm Aid.  But I didn't have to use my imagination very long, because when they hit part two, Yahuba returned, and Steve moved to a small keyboard I'd never seen him play before.  Somehow they always manage to make the song sound fresh.

Zach seemed a bit more reserved than usual, but his mood picked up a little while scatting gibberish before "I Love Music."  They were joined on the song by Mitch Marcus, a saxophone player who used to play with them years ago in San Francisco.  Mitch traded lines with Dan and Zach, fitting in like he was a permanent member.  They followed it with a bizarre cover choice, the keyboard-drenched "Bizarre Love Triangle" by New Order.  I'd never heard the song before, so it was a little foreign to me.  I can only imagine how foreign "Haji Memashite" must've sounded to anyone unfamiliar with the J-pop-inspired anthem, which has been recently revived after Dan selected it for his edition of Hot Tub Club rare tracks.  After "Plastic Bubble" with a reprise from Mitch Marcus, they announced, "We have one more song for you guys tonight."  Disapproving "aww"s from the crowd.  "But we're gonna make it a good one; don't worry."  They chose the fail-safe "Barbeque," which found its way into a multi-layered euphoric jam before the mystery unfolded into Prince's "1999."  Towards its end, Lebo threw in this one tiny guitar flourish that made me laugh out loud it was so well-timed.  Morsels like this are why I go to concerts, especially ALO gigs.  

The first time I saw Ryan Montbleau was in 2006 at the Knitting Factory.  He played solo acoustic, so it was a treat to finally see him with his band.  They kicked things off with the funky "Head Above Water," which set the pace for new tune, "Pacing Like Prince."  Over a Meters-esque groove, Ryan spit lyrics referencing Purple Rain, bathed in violet light.  The colors changed to red, yellow, and green for the reggae stylings of "Songbird," complete with dub echo effects on Montbleau's mic.  The Western swing of "I Can't Wait" was a big hit with the crowd, the call-and-response in particular.  It made you wish you knew someone with a barn, so you could hire RMB to play your barn party.

Following a soulful cover of obscure Johnny "Guitar" Watson cut "Lovin' You," Ryan welcomed Zach to the stage.  "Nothing lightens the mood like a Zach Gill.  Such a pleasure to tour with these guys, and I get to sing with this wonderful human being over here," gushed Ryan.  "Oh, thanks, buddy," said Gill, plugging in his ukulele.  They covered the Lovin' Spoonful's "Daydream," Ryan nailing it with some of the sharpest whistling I've ever heard.  It almost made me forget the Jeep Cherokee commercial with the Grim Reaper that I've forever come to associate with the tune.  After thanking Zach, Montbleau remarked, "That's the most relaxed song I've ever played in New York City.  It only took me 15 years, but I finally feel relaxed here."

Relaxation was needed on a day like that, after their drummer James Cohen was hospitalized earlier for severe dehydration.  Still sporting his ID bracelet, he made it back in time for the gig, and no one was the wiser.  "We were trying to get him to wear his hospital gown to the show.  Get like a Jon Fishman thing going on," teased Ryan.  Dave Brogan learned a bunch of RMB tunes as a backup option, so he manned the kit for "You Crazy You."  After "75 & Sunny," Ryan used his arms to conduct crescendoing cheers from the audience.  "Thank you for comin' with me on that," he said with a laugh.  It was clear he was having a blast, and so was keys player Jason Cohen, exemplifying the term "perma-grin."

After an extended guitar workout from Lyle Brewer during "Dead Set," Ryan invited ALO to the stage.  Zach, Steve, and Dave joined the ranks of percussion, while Dan readied his lap steel, and the newly enlarged band tackled Talking Heads' "This Must Be the Place."  Well, they didn't so much tackle it as pick it up and hurl it into the cosmos, Jason's spacey synth lines inspiring Dan to take over with a whale song from his lap.  The show could've ended there, but the Wednesday-night troopers wanted more.  We clapped until the combo-band returned to the stage, this time for a nearly 12-minute-long jammed-out interpretation of Paul Simon's "Graceland."  Dave took drums on this one, with Ryan and Zach in the front, trying out some Temptations-style choreography.  As the song moved further and further from Graceland to Spaceland, Zach hit us with some of his trademark growl-scatting (a cross between a didgeridoo and Animal from The Muppet Show), and Ryan's cheering tutorial finally paid off, as he incorporated the crowd's screams into the finale.  Not a bad birthday present.

Previous ALO reviews:

10.27.12 Sullivan Hall (Everyone Orchestra feat. Dan & Zach)

09.22.12 Hersheypark Stadium, Farm Aid

07.23.12 The Jewel, Rocks Off Boat Cruise

ANIMAL LIBERATION ORCHESTRA - 04.24.13 - HIGHLINE BALLROOM (1 hour, 33 minutes)

SET -

Maria / Falling Dominoes / Blew Out the Walls / Wasting Time (Isla Vista Song) / Dead Still Dance / Walls of Jericho / I Love Music (feat. Mitch Marcus) / Bizarre Love Triangle / Haji Memashite / Plastic Bubble (feat. Mitch Marcus) / Barbeque > 1999 > Barbeque

RYAN MONTBLEAU BAND - 04.24.13 - HIGHLINE BALLROOM (1 hour, 48 minutes)

SET -
Head Above Water / Pacing Like Prince / Songbird / I Can't Wait / Lovin' You / Daydream (feat. Zach Gill) / You Crazy You (feat. Dave Brogan) / 75 & Sunny / Hot Coffee in a Paper Cup / Heartbreak Road / Yeah Man / Inspired by No One / Dead Set / This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody) (feat. ALO)

ENCORE -
Graceland (feat. ALO)

Top 20 Live Songs of 2012

20. "Banana Boat (Day-O)" - Good Old War, 04.25, Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY
"Do you wanna hear Tim do his best Harry Belafonte?" Keith asked the crowd. Tim sang the opening to "Day-O" perfectly, but no one expected the band to join in and play the whole song. Nice birthday present.

19. "Como Ves" - Ozomatli & the New York Pops, 06.12, Rumsey Playfield, New York, NY
Classic Ozo taken to new heights with the orchestra.

18. "Ashamed" - Deer Tick, 12.19, Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY

Started off slow and built into a frenzy of horn solos and crowd chants.

17. "Spirit Bird" - Xavier Rudd, 12.03, Irving Plaza, New York, NY
Offering the last part to the audience to sing, the fans succeeded with remarkable restraint and pitch control.

16. "Golden Train" - Penguin Prison, 06.24, Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY
Hopping off the stage to perform while walking through the crowd during the first song surprised the shit out of me.

15. "Stars" - Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, 06.14, Irving Plaza, New York, NY
You could see the pain on her face that she felt when she wrote this beautiful ballad.

14. "One Foot Before the Other" - Frank Turner, 09.30, Webster Hall, New York, NY

Frank Turner goes prog.  Lights and bass were amazing.

13. "Excuse Me Mr." - Ben Harper, 10.10, Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
Hard to pick a favorite from the night, but the off-mic singing on this sounded incredible in the hallowed hall.

12. "Digest" - Ben Taylor, 05.17, City Winery, New York, NY
John Forté asked if he could sing it with Ben, and modified the lyrics to "Nothing's been the same since I've been gone," to reference his time in prison.

11. "Rat Race" - Antibalas, 08.18, Williamsburg Park, Brooklyn, NY
Likely the best Marley cover I've seen.

10. "Be Mine" - Alabama Shakes, 10.06, Merriweather Post Pavilion (Virgin Mobile Freefest), Columbia, MD

Brittany Howard just aced it on this one.

9. "We Are Young" - Fun, 06.22, Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
Crowd sang along triumphantly to the single of the year. Great acoustics.

8. "(718)" - 2 Skinnee J's, 08.24, Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
In (718). Haven't jumped in the air at a concert in God knows how long.

7. "What Makes a Good Man?" - The Heavy, 08.30, Irving Plaza, New York, NY
Backup singers sent this one to near heavenly proportions.

6. "Root Down" - Animal Liberation Orchestra, 05.09, Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY
Just days after Adam Yauch's passing, ALO busted out this funky gem, which included "Maria" in its center.

5. "No One's Gonna Love You" - Band of Horses, 09.18, House of Vans, Brooklyn, NY
One of my favorite songs ever in such an intimate venue.  Literally got chills.

4. "Walk Like a Giant" - Neil Young & Crazy Horse, 09.29, Central Park Great Lawn (Global Festival), New York, NY
Crashing footsteps of a giant at the end were so fucking ballsy.

3. "Shake Up the Place" - 10 Ft. Ganja Plant, 04.20, The Middle East, Cambridge, MA
Sublime harmonies.  The smile on Kevin Kinsella's face has been burned into my mind forever.

2. "Try" - Everyone Orchestra, 10.27, Sullivan Hall, New York, NY
Grand Ole Opry-style chorus combined with Zach Gill's hilarious musings on his attic.  Should always be performed this way.

1. "Down with Disease" - Phish, 12.30, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Sweetest jam of the whole NYE run.  Spaced through different movements until it came to a driving funk conclusion.  I'll be listening to this for years.

Top 15 Concerts of 2012

These were the top 15 concerts I attended in 2012.  Feel free to make your own list in the comments.

15. Diamond Rugs - 06.24, Rumsey Playfield, New York, NY
"Totally Lonely" was exponentially better live than recorded, with all the members joining producer Justin Collins on the final refrain. For the set-closing "Christmas in a Chinese Restaurant," the group thinned its ranks to a duo of McCauley and Los Lobos' Steve Berlin. The fact that it was merely days after the summer solstice only amplified the beautiful sadness of the song." (Read full review)

14. Deer Tick - 12.19, Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY

"With a loud "Kick it!" they crunched into "Fight for Your Right." Matt Vasquez of Delta Spirit now had the oft-traded Mustang, but his most memorable contribution to the song was throwing pitcher after pitcher of beer onto the crowd. This insane final display was the ultimate example of why we go to Deer Tick shows: Because anything can happen because it's a goddam party." (Read full review)

13. Alabama Shakes - 10.06, Merriweather Post Pavilion (Virgin Mobile Freefest), Columbia, MD

"While bassist Zac Cockrell still only moved slightly more than a well-timed bobblehead, Brittany Howard was absolutely magnetic.  She was wearing a blue dress with red dots and sporting a straightened hairdo, but you couldn't take your eyes off her face.  If you were a deaf person, you could've learned all the vowel sounds just by the way her mouth moved, soulful howls bursting out of the gaping hole." (Read full review)

12. Mayer Hawthorne - 04.16, Webster Hall, New York, NY
"This isn't a concert; it's a show," Hawthorne announced at the onset.  Backed by his band, the County, MH dazzled fans with a set of soulful originals from both of his albums, and even a few Hall & Oates covers.  For final song "Henny & Gingerale," Hawthorne played bartender and made drinks for those in the front row as he sang.

11. Matt Embree - 09.11, The Acheron, Brooklyn, NY

"The banter became downright ridiculous, Embree claiming he knew half the people in the room, even their "drunken-ass aliases, like when you get so drunk you're another person." While he may have seemed like another person between songs, his drunkenness had no effect on his musicianship. His guitar solo in "Taking Chase as the Serpent Slithers" was absolutely ferocious, and he proved his vocal prowess on a soulful cover of Hendrix's "Castles Made of Sand." (Read full review)

10. 10 Ft. Ganja Plant - 04.20, The Middle East, Cambridge, MA

This was the third ever live performance for the secretive reggae band.  The sweaty night of dub in the basement of the club was a night to remember... though due to obvious reasons, somewhat forgotten. 

9. Phish - 12.30, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

"Disarmed by the first set, we were all ready for Phish to drop the real jams on us.  Kicking things off with "Down with Disease," the boys made it through the main part, and then unearthed a subterranean monster toward its end.  Knowing glances around the room as we lapped up the amazingly funked-out puzzle where all the pieces fit properly." (Read full review)

8. Ben Harper - 10.10, Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
"That was only the start of what would be the 54-minute encore, where Harper reached back into his catalog to revive old favorites like "Not Fire Not Ice," "Power of the Gospel," and "Welcome to the Cruel World."  The show could have bookended with the instrumental "Exhale," but surprisingly, Ben brought his chair downstage, even in front of the suspended stage mic, to play "Suzie Blue" on ukulele." (Read full review)

7. Kishi Bashi - 05.16, Le Poisson Rouge, New York, NY

It's hard to upstage the Barr Brothers, but with a violin, a microphone, and some looping pedals, he did it.  Everyone stared silently in awe as he magically constructed his songs piece by piece.  Best of the three times I saw him.

6. The Heavy - 08.30, Irving Plaza, New York, NY

A live staple for years, "The Big Bad Wolf" followed it like Little Red Riding Hood, but this wasn't the sneaky trickster from the children's tale.  This was a fucking monster.  With the crowd howling and screaming, "What you say!" it was incredible to realize that I was in a room full of adults singing along, "I'm gonna huff and puff, and blow your house down!" (Read full review)

5. Ben Taylor - 05.17, City Winery, New York, NYBen and band unveiled several new songs from his upcoming album Listening in the sonically sweet space.  Audience member John Forté sat in for a few tunes, including the fan-suggested encore "Digest."

4. Animal Liberation Orchestra - 07.23, Rocks Off Boat Cruise, New York, NY
"You guys are yelling out some really old ones," noted Dan.  "Should we do 'Sexo y Drogas?'"  And they did.  For the first time in over a year.  It was like watching 2004-era ALO all over again.  Before launching into the singalong "Walls of Jericho," I heard Lebo tuning a little ghost of "They Love Each Other."  My ears didn't deceive me, the Garcia ditty exhuming itself from the remains of "Walls." (Read full review)

3. Grace Potter & the Nocturnals - 06.14, Irving Plaza, New York, NY

"At 9:37, the band took the stage to the tribal drums of the title track off their newest  album, The Lion the Beast the Beat. Having released the LP on Tuesday, the set was heaped with fresh tunes, and Grace wasn't ashamed of it. "If you don't know it, just fucking pretend you do." (Read full review)

 

2. Band of Horses - 09.18, House of Vans, Brooklyn, NY

"What was evident was that these boys love playing music. Ben sang with such gusto, you could witness the veins bulging in his tattooed neck. Every member had a wide grin for the show's duration; even the typically stoic Ramsey sneaking out a smirk from somewhere in the center of his beard." (Read full review)

 

1. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - 09.29, Central Park Great Lawn (Global Festival), New York, NY

"Neil Young and Crazy Horse played a blistering mix of new songs from the upcoming Psychedelic Pill, and classics like the 15-minute opener "Love & Only Love." Young, Poncho, and Billy Talbot huddled together in the center of the stage, churning out waves of distortion into the crisp night air." (Read full review)

Top 10 Albums of 2012

The Top 10 Albums of 2012

10. Ben Taylor - Listening
If Another Run Around the Sun is his Sweet Baby James, Listening is his JT: still rootsy but more pop-oriented.  He has a similar honey voice to his father, but made by feistier bees.  The last track "Next Time Around" uses the same progression as James' "Bartender's Blues," which someone should've noticed, but overall, still a solid record.

9. ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra) - Sounds Like This
When a band meshes so well onstage, sometimes that energy doesn't translate into the studio, but ALO have done it... with the first six songs on this album.  "Cowboys & Chorus Girls" ends with a funky keyboard jam, but then the songs start to sound like different renditions of tunes they've already recorded.  "Bark of a Tree" recalls "The Champ."  "Combat Zone" is "Monday" with different lyrics, and "Room for Bloomin" is similar to "I Love Music."  Fortunately, aside from "Bloomin," they are better versions.

8. Bill Baird - Career
Sound Team's Movie Monster is one of my favorite indie records ever. Unfortunately, the band split, with Bill Baird going solo and Matt Oliver and Jordan Johns forming TV Torso. Fortunately, both are still making good music.  Baird took a more experimental route in crafting Career, a noisy grab bag of lo-fi ambition.

7. Gary Clark, Jr. - Blak & Blu
Some are dubbing GCJ a "legend in the making," and while his eclectic major label debut may not confirm that, it's a fun ride.  In fact, Clark had previously released all but 5 of the songs in some manner, but it's exactly these songs that show his experimentation, from the horn-accented opener "Ain't Messin' 'Round" to the Lenny Kravitz-esque "Glitter Ain't Gold."

6. Diamond Rugs - Diamond Rugs
John McCauley rounds up a different batch of friends, including Steve Berlin of Los Lobos, for a 14-song drunken romp.  "Call Girl Blues" is an easy contender for song of the year with its bouncy horns and catchy backup vocals.  I saw them perform it straight-through in June, and it holds up live too!

5. Kishi Bashi - 151a
At nine tracks, it's a breeze, but it's the only violin-based album I've been digging this year.  It's clear Kevin Barnes' influence has worn off during his touring with Of Montreal, and yet Mr. Ishibashi manages a sound all his own.  Beat-boxing, loops, and an impressive vocal range only add to its diverse beauty.

4. Jack White - Blunderbuss

First off, I've never liked the White Stripes, so this came as a shocker even to me.  After seeing White and the Peacocks play Virgin Freefest in October, I was intrigued enough to check out his solo debut.  "Sixteen Saltines" is a fucking rocker, the "I'm Shakin'" cover is fun and faithful, and oodles of piano move the album along nicely.  My brother said that Jack White would convert me, and he has.

3. Rayland Baxter - Feathers & Fishhooks

I had to specially order the vinyl from a record store in Texas, and it proved entirely worth it.  It's a beautifully textured country/folk album, with accomplished songwriting that belies Baxter's 28 years of age.

2. Fun - Some Nights

While not as stylistically variant as their debut Aim & Ignite, this collection of songs makes a nice addition to the Fun canon.  The singles were picked correctly, but "Stars" is the hero of the album, with its self-referential lyrics building to an Autotuned climax.  I listened to this album more than any other new release this year, and correctly predicted their Best New Artist Grammy nom.

1. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Psychedelic Pill

After seeing Neil Young & Crazy Horse play new songs at Farm Aid and Global Festival, this became my number one LP to pre-order.  Though the 27:35 opening track "Driftin' Back" makes this a daunting listen, those who make it through will be well-rewarded.  Fellow 16-minute+ epics "Ramada Inn" and closer "Walk Like a Giant," with its whistling and dinosauric instrumentation, are the best songs on the album.

Everyone Orchestra Prepare for Sandy with a Cover-Filled Set II at Sullivan Hall

Matt Butler may have the best job in the world.  As conductor of the Everyone Orchestra, he gets to assemble an ever-changing supergroup of his favorite musicians and make them jam together.  They play songs in whatever style he wants, and he chooses who he wants to solo and where.  Last night's show was the second in a three-night run at Sullivan Hall, assuming Hurricane Sandy doesn't cancel tonight's.

Like Friday's sold-out show following Trey Anastasio's Beacon Theatre concert, this show was also sold-out.  Jam band fans, some in costume for Halloween, packed the 350-person club to capacity.  I spotted a pig, a wizard, and the Super Mario Brothers.  In the front row, two 6'6" guys in hats went as inconsiderate people.  The players this go-round were Jon Fishman (drums), John Kadlecik (guitar and vocals), Dan Lebowitz (guitar and vocals), Zach Gill (keyboards and vocals), Reed Mathis (bass), Jamie Masefield (mandolin), Jessica Lurie (saxophone, flute, and vocals), and Katy Gaughan (percussion).

Though the venue's website said the show would start at 8:30pm, the band didn't take the stage until 10, Fishman looking just like some guy in a t-shirt without his dress on.  Donning a psychedelic top hat, Matt Butler placed himself at the center, and revealed the words "Funk A" written on a dry erase board.  (The setlist at the bottom includes the whiteboard instructions that were visible to the crowd.)  The orchestra charged headfirst into a furious funk number (no doubt influenced by the horn-heavy funk tracks the DJ had been spinning) cooking at a pace where Reed Mathis barely had time to scratch his nose.  The jam ended with Butler conducting the audience to scream, "Yes!" to the beat.  Butler scrawled "Follow Zach" onto his slate, and Zach Gill pulled out his melodica to start a simple melody.  Reading lyrics off his iPhone, he sang about Sandy, a wild woman with wipsy twig hair that spun him 'round and 'round like a hurricane.  Gill worried that his flight home would be cancelled, "But if I had to be stuck in one place in the world, I think I'd choose New York City."  The crowd ate up the topical ditty, and under Butler's lead, the band enacted the parts of the storm from the outer bands to the eye.  John Kadlecik had the next pick, and settled on a happy groove that would've felt at home in a 1970 Grateful Dead concert.  When it came to Lebo's part, he shifted the song dramatically, taking it into dark Neil Young territory, one of the boldest and most welcome choices of the night.  Butler softened up the section, and Lebowitz and Kadlecik doubled up on the melody, Jon's drumming helping the song to begin to delve into a Phish-style jam.  I guess Butler thought it smelled too Phishy, and instead of encouraging Kadlecik to soar like Trey, he shifted the focus to stage right, Jessica Lurie.  While moments of her sax solo came together powerfully, some bits, particularly at the onset, fell out of place.  The group ascended with the sax, and segued into a new jam led by Lebo.  Starting with a chord progression similar to "Pobrecito," the song never really developed into the funky workout that the ALO song becomes.  Butler attempted to save it with some rabble-rousing, getting the crowd to chant "Hey!  Vote!"  After a string of the voting chants, the song was over, and the set was over, a scant 49 minutes.

When the band returned for the second set, the crowd had noticeably thinned.  Perhaps those who left had been disappointed by the short first round that started off so promising and fizzled out at the end.  I found Jessica Lurie's showboating a little off-putting, especially when she'd try to put a spin on the vocal licks.  Ironically, it was her riff in set two that inspired one of the night's hottest improvised jams.  After a "spacious and groovy" mandolin-based exploration by Masefield, Butler wrote "Follow Jessica" on the board.  She laid down a chugging sax riff that recalled the night's earlier funky foray, and although Butler tried to change it up with some swing in D, he always found himself re-scribbling "Back to Jessica's riff."  Some flourishes on the theme by Lebo, Zach, and Reed had everyone smiling onstage and off.  John K. got his second turn, and commenced with a cover of "Walking in Your Footsteps" by the Police.  Reed thickened it up by inserting a P-Funk bassline, and played so fervently that he broke a string.

While Reed repaired his instrument, Dan was chosen to lead again.  He decided on the ALO song "Try."  I've seen ALO three times this year (at Brooklyn Bowl, on a boat, and at Farm Aid), but this time the song went places not even Lebo had predicted.  After a once-through shouting out the key changes to keep everyone on track, he started singing the often JGB-covered "Shining Star" by the Manhattans.  I'd seen him sandwich other tunes in "Try" before, most notably "Helpless" at the Troubadour, but after returning to the song, Butler held a sign up to Zach, requesting "funny lyrics."  Zach said he would rather speak from the heart, and admitted, "I'm gonna be honest with you guys.  I have a flying phobia."  Narrating his trip here, where he watched an episode of 30 Rock to quell his anxieties, things weren't funny enough for Butler, who egged him on.  "When in doubt, tell a joke," said Zach, choosing the silly one from childhood where you look down your shirt and spell attic.  Repeating "A-T-T-I-C" several times became its own melody, and shortly thereafter Dan and Reed started singing "You've got to try / just a little bit harder" into one mic.  As Zach expounded upon all the things in his attic including Christmas decorations and CD jewel cases, everyone was singing the line from "Try" together like a gospel song at the Grand Ole Opry.  Even after the number had ended, Dan was still joyously singing "You've got to try," and we can all hope this new version finds its way into some ALO sets.  With a laugh, Butler commented on Zach's fears, "You don't need therapy."  "I just need Everyone Orchestra every 6 weeks or so," Gill quipped.

Matt took some time to introduce the band, not referring to Jon Fishman by name, but saying, "He works on a phishing boat the rest of the year.  They practice sustainable phishing."  Zach introduced Matt Butler, but Reed was curiously left out.  Butler turned to Mathis and introduced him as starting the next journey, which was a mellow, meandering beauty.  Once the jam had reached its climax, Butler turned things over to Zach, who started up a howling cover of Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London."  When the song felt too structured, Butler ripped it open by demanding increasingly longer measures of chaos, from 8 beats, to 16, to 32.  Turning to Kadlecik in the aftermath of the chaos, John K. only took it further, charging into the riff from "Crazy Train."  Everyone joined in on the instrumental tease, and the song ended with a roar.

The show could've (and maybe should've) ended there, but Butler wanted one more song.    He wrote "Disco" on the board, and the band embarked on a peppy jam, led by Fishman's hi-hat and Gill's croaky keyboard.  Butler took to the mic to sing "Goodnight to you" to the crowd a few times, but the song was essentially a cool-down.  One hour and 47 minutes after Masefield kicked off set two, the orchestra came center stage and took a few bows.  "We'll see you tomorrow night, guys, God willing," Butler said hopefully.  Even if Sandy is determined to thwart his gig tonight, his job is still the coolest gig out there.

EVERYONE ORCHESTRA – 10.27.12 – SULLIVAN HALL

SET ONE (49 minutes) –

Funk Jam (Funk A, Short Hello Solos, D Triumph!, Yes!) / Hurricane Song (Follow Zach, Simple, This is Part A, Outer Bands, Back to Part A, Closer to the Eye of Storm, Vocal) / John K. Jam (This is Part A, Part B Lebo, Part B Soft, Unison Guitars, Unison Ascending Sax) > Lebo Jam (Follow Dan, Hey!, Vote)

SET TWO (1 hour, 47 minutes) –

Jamie Masefield Jam (Spacious & Groovy, Part B Reed, Tom Tom Groove, Part B Add Vocals, Just Vocals, Mando End) / Jessica Jam (Follow Jessica, D Swing, Back to Jessica Riff, More Drums) / Walking in Your Footsteps (Foot Steps, Chorus) / Try > Shining Star > Try (Funny Lyrics, Laugh!, Lebo End) / Band Introduction (Laugh!, Ha Ha) / Reed Jam (Spacious, Ascend) > Werewolves of London (Follow Zach, 8 Beats Chaos, 16 Beats Chaos, 32 Beats Chaos) > Crazy Train / Goodnight to You (Disco, Part B Jessica, Speed Up)

Farm Aid 2012 Setlists, Photos, and Review

Yesterday in Hershey, PA, Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, and Dave Matthews brought together a group of their musician friends for the sold-out 27th Farm Aid Benefit Concert.  Twenty-nine thousand people flocked to the antiquated Hersheypark Stadium, which was constructed in 1939, and probably handles high school football games better than it does giant concerts.  Every act played short (under an hour) sets, but the roster was so packed, the show still went over into the windy Pennsylvania night.

When I pre-ordered Farm Aid tickets earlier this year, the lineup was Willie, Neil, Mellencamp, Dave & Tim, Jack Johnson, ALO, Lukas Nelson, and Pegi Young.  As the months went on, they added a handful of country acts and the welcome treat of Grace Potter & the Nocturnals.  “They tricked us into going to a country concert,” remarked my sister-in-law, as we walked past several people in cowboy hats tailgating amongst the DMB fans.

ALO were scheduled to start at 2:40pm, but when we had our tickets scanned at 2:30, the announcer was finishing their intro.  We walked to our seats as ALO warmed things up with “Dead Still Dance,” guitarist Dan Lebowitz showing off his exaggerated movements while soloing.  The band followed it with another tune from their latest album, “Speed of Dreams,” in front of a large screen projecting idyllic stock photos of farms and carrots.  The stage was flanked by two giant screens that played remarkably clear live video of the show, alternating between crowd shots and close-ups of the musicians.  “This song's about prolonging good feelings,” Zach Gill introduced “Storms & Hurricanes,” the ukulele-based love song a perfect companion to the warm sun shining down.  And then it was over.  Sixteen minutes.  What happened to prolonging good feelings?  Such is the nature of a benefit concert with 12 acts on the bill.

Pegi Young, Neil’s wife, notorious for not making it for her allotted slot, actually showed up, but we decided to check out the Homegrown Village during her set.  The Village gave off the vibe of a school science fair, complete with 3-panel presentation boards on the dangers of fracking and the benefits of compost.  “Here’s a really fantastic website on sludge,” said a woman handing me a business card.  Okay, no real reason to go back.

Willie’s son, Lukas Nelson, was up next, so we headed back inside the stadium.  With a voice similar to his father, although higher-pitched and a little more nasal, he sang “Four Letter Word” and new number “Haiti’s Eyes” before tackling “Here We Are in the Years” by fellow Farm-Aider Neil Young.  A showy guitar player, he then gave his searing instrumental solo take on “Amazing Grace.”  He closed his set with rocker “Wasted” backed by his band, Promise of the Real.

I got a text message from ALO’s manager saying they’d be in the Village at 4pm.  When we arrived at the small stage, it didn’t appear as if it was set for a band to perform: two mic stands, maybe a seat.  It turned out to be a discussion with ALO and a local dairy farmer.  After asking how they came to be at Farm Aid (Jack Johnson was the answer.), the moderator asked, “So… what else?”  It wasn’t organized well at all, so the band and farmer took it upon themselves to attempt to make it interesting.  Dave Brogan commented on CSA boxes: “I never knew what kale was before.  Kale’s awesome!”  “You can fry it.  Turn it into a potato chip,” added Gill.  We got an inside tip that Jack wasn’t feeling well, but our worries that he wouldn’t perform were dispelled by Lebowitz when he confirmed that he was going to play on a few tunes.

Grace Potter & the Nocturnals opened with the “The Lion the Beast the Beat,” as they did when I saw them at Irving Plaza.  After “Never Go Back,” Grace revealed that Mickey Raphael from Willie’s band would be joining on harmonica for the next song.  She then looked just offstage and asked Willie if he wanted to play too.  Nelson obliged and they performed “Ragged Company.”  “I wanna dedicate this song to every farmer in the nation who’s been having trouble with that goddamn drought this summer,” Potter said as she took on “Nothing But the Water” alone with her Flying V and bottleneck slide.  She noted that she came from a small farming community in Vermont, but “I’m pretty sure none of ‘em ever wore boots like these, so I’m gonna take them off,” removing her stylish black boots to hop around barefoot for a spunky dose of “Medicine.”

Willie returned to the stage shortly after Grace’s set.  “I’d like to introduce an old Hawaiian buddy of mine, Mr. Jack Johnson,” he said, and Jack Johnson came out alone, sporting a crop of curly hair.  As he played "Better Together," the gardening-themed “Home,” and “Do You Remember,” Jack’s songs felt like old friends that I hadn’t seen in a long while, finding their way off my playlists as people found their way out of my life.  But it was good to heard from them again.  The band joined in on “Good People,” which was more lo-key than its usual boogie-woogie.  You could hear the cold in Jack’s voice, so Zach offered bits of harmony to soldier him forward.  “Sitting, Waiting, Wishing” featured a few lines of verse from the Cars’ “Just What I Needed,” and “Upside Down” was played for the people who brought their kids to the show.  Hitting a wrong note on his guitar in a song, Jack remarked, “I dedicate that bad chord to Michelle.  I met her before the show, and she said, ‘I love it when you make mistakes.’”  The dedications continued, as he offered “Wasting Time” to his wife “sitting over here, making me nervous.”  Isn’t that cute that she still makes him nervous after 18 years together?  Zach picked up his accordion for “Banana Pancakes,” and after beginning his solo, Jack egged him on: “Come on, Zach, this is Farm Aid.”  Gill stepped up his game, and then was joined by bandmate Dan Lebowitz on lap steel for “Flake.”  “Mudfootball” was a fun closer for the first set of the day that felt like a real show because it was over a half hour.

Kenny “Pee Break” Chesney was next, and we trickled into the area underneath the bleachers where the porta-potties were.  Beer lines merged with bathroom and food lines to create one big slow-moving clusterfuck that could have been billed as a simulation of life on the feedlot.  We finally got back to our seats as Chesney was finishing, shouting, “Thank you guys for loving music!”  You don’t get to say that, Kenny.

A video of Dave Matthews that mentioned his contributions to the Farm Aid cause (Keeping family farmers on their land, in case you weren’t aware.) played on the side screens.  Now we were in board member territory.  Dave Matthews and longtime collaborator Tim Reynolds took their acoustic guitars center stage, and plucked right into “Gravedigger,” a song with an interesting concept of inventing people’s lives from their headstones.  “Stay or Leave” had fans singing along to its lofty chorus, and “Don’t Drink the Water” featured a foray into “This Land is Your Land,” which could only be applied to the plight of the farmers.  Black and white farming images were projected on the large center screen, interspersed with the DMB dancer logo.  The duo played “Funny the Way It Is” next, and I felt like its lyrics hit harder in this format than with the whole band.  Dave revealed that he was talking with Willie Nelson one time about the song “Crazy,” which was originally to go, “I’m stupid, stupid for feeling so lonely,” before producers stepped in and changed it.  Dave agreed that the word change was a good one, and that he stole it for the beginning of “Crush.”  New single “Mercy” and oldie “Dancing Nancies” followed, and Dave ended the set with a lone “Some Devil.”  I still don’t really like DMB fans, but I’d go to another show.

Using the exodus of DMB-lovers to our advantage, we made our way through the field fairly easily to check out our food options, which turned out to be incredibly limited and disappointing for a farming event.  Are hand-dipped corndogs really the paragon of U.S. family farm production?  Maybe Super Pretzel is?  I settled on a decent antibiotic and hormone-free bratwurst because the porkchop sandwiches were all gone by then.

Dave Matthews returned to introduce John Mellencamp, who reprised last year’s opener “Authority Song.”  Kenny Chesney sat in for “Small Town,” but he didn’t know the lyrics and flubbed it.  “He butchered a classic,” declared my sister-in-law.  I’m admittedly not a big fan of the Cougar, and I did not keep a setlist.  Neither is my brother: “He needs to play a little ditty about Jack and Diane, and get the fuck off the stage.”  Nevertheless, I caught him bobbing his head to “Rain on the Scarecrow” and singing along with the entire stadium on “Pink Houses.”

Neil Young & Crazy Horse charged out the gate with a blistering 10-minute version of “Country Home” followed promptly by another scorcher “Ramada Inn.”  Neil brought out Willie and began a diatribe on the mission of Farm Aid, stressing the importance of local agriculture over corporate farming.  “What we want is for you to buy food that matters.  Good food. I hope you know that’s why you’re here,” he said, though judging by the appearance of the majority of crowdmembers (We played a lot of “Pregnant or Just Fat?”), it seemed obvious that most attendees weren’t shopping at farmers markets, but were a product of the processed foods of agribusiness.  He continued, “Watch out for this food.  There’s nothing wrong with these people from South America that are sending it up here, but we have no idea what they did to get it here.  We don’t know what happened, how it got here, how much fuel it used to get here, how much damage it did getting here, what kind of antibiotics are in it, what kind of pesticides are in it.”  (It really makes me wonder what kind of speech he’ll give at next week’s Global Festival.)  He used the opportunity to introduce “Homegrown,” a Farm Aid anthem.  The highlight of the set, however, occurred next.  A keyboard disguised as a large, crying bird descended from the rafters, and the band began a jam that sounded like a storm brewing.  It churned and bubbled into “Like a Hurricane,” the massive final song.

With Crazy Horse finishing after 11, when the finale was originally supposed to happen, Willie brought forward a Native American farmer to talk during the speedy set change.  He essentially said one thing over and over, and it was, “Learn the realities of industrial hemp.”  There is a case to be made for hemp farming to be the savior of the family-run farm.  However, it probably wouldn’t take very long for a large corporation, likely a pharmaceutical company, to monopolize that industry and out-produce the independent farmers.

The set began as most of Willie Nelson’s sets have begun, with “Whiskey River.”  Transitioning into “Still is Still Moving to Me,” which has picked up a reggae lilt ever since he re-recorded it in 2004 with Toots & the Maytals, Nelson set the pace for the remainder, segueing from song to song to cram in as many as possible before midnight.  But isn’t that a metaphor for how Willie always sings, just behind the tempo, trying to catch up?  The hits found their way in: the aforementioned “Crazy,” “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys,” and of course, “On the Road Again.”  While most got a thrill slurring along to “Beer for My Horses,” I preferred the understated father-son duet of Pearl Jam’s “Just Breathe.”  Lukas traded words with Willie, who was strumming away on his famed six-string “Trigger,” or the closest thing there exists to a zombie guitar.  For the finale, Willie chose a gospel medley of “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” and “I’ll Fly Away,” as friends poured onto the stage to sing backup.  The Calhoun Brothers, the Bee Creek Gospel Singers, the Watson Twins, Jamey Johnson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, and someone in a full Indian headdress all crowded around the mics, with Grace Potter providing some colorful vocal licks.  But it wasn’t over yet.  “Roll Me Up,” which contains the refrain “Roll me up and smoke me when I die” made for a jaunty last song of the night, warming everyone’s spirits as chilly gusts of wind whipped through the stadium.

I had a fun time.  I got to see some artists for the first time, some of my favorites again, and I learned the term fracking.  I would definitely go to another Farm Aid, but I likely wouldn’t go to it at Hershey.  There’s no reason to spend 40 minutes moving through a line to pee for one minute.  I think I’ll take Neil's advice: keep it local, and pray that they come back to New York.

ANIMAL LIBERATION ORCHESTRA – 09.22.12 – HERSHEYPARK STADIUM, FARM AID (16 minutes)

SET –

Dead Still Dance / Speed of Dreams / Storms & Hurricanes

LUKAS NELSON & PROMISE OF THE REAL – 09.22.12 – HERSHEYPARK STADIUM, FARM AID

SET –

Four Letter Word / Haiti’s Eyes* / Here We Are in the Years / Amazing Grace > Wasted

GRACE POTTER & THE NOCTURNALS – 09.22.12 – HERSHEYPARK STADIUM, FARM AID (29 minutes)

SET –

The Lion the Beast the Beat / Never Go Back / Ragged Company (feat. Willie Nelson) / Nothing But the Water (I) > Medicine

JACK JOHNSON – 09.22.12 – HERSHEYPARK STADIUM, FARM AID (47 minutes)

SET –

Better Together / Home / Do You Remember / Good People / Sitting, Waiting, Wishing > Just What I Needed (tease) > Sitting, Waiting, Wishing / Inaudible Melodies > Upside Down / Wasting Time > Bubble Toes / Banana Pancakes / Flake (feat. Dan Lebowitz) / Mudfootball

DAVE MATTHEWS & TIM REYNOLDS – 09.22.12 – HERSHEYPARK STADIUM, FARM AID (50 minutes)

SET –

Gravedigger / Stay or Leave / Don’t Drink the Water > This Land is Your Land > Don’t Drink the Water / Funny the Way It Is / Crush / Mercy / Dancing Nancies / Some Devil

NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE – 09.22.12 – HERSHEYPARK STADIUM, FARM AID (58 minutes)

SET –

Country Home / Ramada Inn / Mr. Soul / Homegrown (feat. Willie Nelson) / Like a Hurricane

WILLIE NELSON – 09.22.12 – HERSHEYPARK STADIUM, FARM AID (32 minutes)

SET –

Whiskey River > Still is Still Moving to Me / Beer for My Horses / Funny How Time Slips Away > Crazy > Night Life / Just Breathe / Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys > On the Road Again / Will the Circle Be Unbroken > I’ll Fly Away / Roll Me Up